The Federal Court of Australia has ruled in favour of Rebel Wilson in the defamation case brought by actor Charlotte MacInnes, dismissing the claim after finding that MacInnes failed to establish the publications caused or were likely to cause serious harm. The Guardian

Justice Elizabeth Raper handed down her judgment on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, roughly two months after closing addresses were delivered in May 2026. The trial had commenced on April 20, 2026, with testimony taking place across that month, including a third day of evidence on April 30. The Federal Court had established a dedicated online file for the matter (NSD1727/2025) by May 11. The Guardian; Federal Court of Australia

MacInnes, who played the lead role in Wilson's directorial debut film The Deb, sued Wilson over a series of social media posts. MacInnes claimed the posts implied she was a liar and a sellout who had walked back a sexual harassment complaint to further her career. Wilson had approximately 11 million social media followers at the time of publication. The Guardian

The posts at issue alleged MacInnes confided in Wilson that she felt uncomfortable when co-producer Amanda Ghost asked to have a shower and bath together, and that MacInnes later recanted. MacInnes denied making or retracting any complaint. She stated she was not uncomfortable when she and Ghost shared a bath in swimwear after Ghost suffered a medical episode in September 2023. The Guardian

The dispute also drew in third-party media coverage. The Daily Mail published an article about the suit on September 23, 2024, headlined 'Actress at centre of defamation suit against Rebel Wilson is REVEALED as drama from Australian…'. Wilson reposted that article on her social media accounts. An email chain between Wilson and Danny Cohen was entered as Exhibit A9 during the proceedings. Federal Court of Australia; Federal Court of Australia; Federal Court of Australia

MacInnes had sought general damages, aggravated damages, and damages for breach of confidence. She claimed the alleged harm included anxiety and a period without work. Her legal team was led by Sue Chrysanthou SC, while Wilson was represented by Dauid Sibtain SC. ABC News; The Guardian

The proceedings included structured filings from both sides. The parties submitted a Statement of Agreed Facts and an Agreed Statement of Issues for Determination, the latter filed on March 17, 2026. MacInnes filed a redacted affidavit with the court on December 10, 2025. Federal Court of Australia; Federal Court of Australia; Federal Court of Australia

The ruling turned on the threshold requirement for establishing serious harm in Australian defamation law. The claimants failure to meet that evidentiary bar proved fatal to the case, regardless of the underlying factual disputes about what occurred between MacInnes and Ghost. The judgment will be read by legal practitioners as a reaffirmation that serious harm must be demonstrated with concrete evidence, not merely inferred from the size of a respondent's audience or the sensitivity of the allegations. The dismissal of the breach of confidence claim alongside the defamation claim narrows the avenues for similar disputes arising from on-set conduct to spill into tort litigation via social media channels.